Berwick News
Berwick Parks Project wins lottery bid
17 December 2012
A project to regenerate two much loved park areas in Berwick has been successful in its bid for a grant of £890,700 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Big Lottery Fund (BIG).
The funding will now help to improve Castle Vale Park and Coronation Park, also known as Tommy the Miller's Park - which are located on either side of Berwick railway station and contain a wealth of heritage and natural history.
Improved features including footpaths, steps, handrails, horticultural displays, entrances and signage in each of the parks are just some of the plans which can now be implemented by the project team.
As well as the works 'on-the-ground', a park development officer will be employed to increase community use of the parks by involving local schools, more volunteers and providing events and activities.
Northumberland County Council has been working in partnership with Berwick-upon-Tweed Town Council and the Castlegate Area Residents Association (CARA) to plan key upgrades for the parks, in close consultation with local people.
Councillor Alan Thompson, executive member responsible for neighbourhood services at Northumberland County Council said: "Achieving this funding is fantastic news and we look forward to working with our partners to see the project come to fruition. This is an excellent example of partnership working between local residents and local authorities to upgrade and enhance important public assets."
Town Mayor of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Councillor John Robertson, said: "This is excellent and exciting news for Berwick, and a perfect way to round off the year. The award of this grant is richly deserved after the very hard work of officers and volunteers, and the restoration of these parks will be warmly welcomed by the community and add to the attraction of Berwick to visitors."
Mrs Jessie Dodds, chairman of Castlegate Area Residents Association said: "This is absolutely wonderful news. We have been cleaning up the parks and doing other pieces of work since back in 1999, with the benefit of small amounts of funding. This however will take it to a whole new level - it really is the icing on the cake. Berwick has such a rich history and I am particularly pleased that we are able to create a garden rich in history to match that of the town."
Speaking on behalf of HLF and BIG, Carole Souter, Chief Executive of HLF, said: "We're delighted to be bringing a bit of seasonal cheer to a number of popular parks, including Castle Vale Park and Coronation Parks, especially as demand for funding continues to be very high. It's been a tough year for those caring for our public parks but HLF and BIG's commitment to this important part of the UK's heritage is unwavering.
"Parks enrich millions of people's lives on a daily basis - providing room to relax and reflect - and it's vital that we continue to value and protect them not just for ourselves but for the next generation too."
The plans have been drawn up in conjunction with TGP Landscape Architects, and seek to build on the excellent work done by CARA over the past ten years. This has included restoration of rock gardens and refurbishment of the rose garden in Castle Vale Park.
For more detail on the project please visit: http://berwickparks.northumberland.gov.uk
